Tenure and Promotion (Revised 1/02)
Professors of English may concentrate in a number of fields, including Literature, Creative Writing, Rhetoric/Composition, English Education, and Critical Theory. Though fields and forms of study and publication are constantly changing, scholars and creative writers are generally expected to do their most substantial teaching and publishing in their area of specialization. Teaching, scholarship or creative production, and service are the areas of evaluation for tenure and promotion.
Evaluation of Candidates for Tenure and Promotion
Membership of Committees
- Tenure and Promotion Committee A, which decides on the promotion of associate professors to the rank of full professor, is made up of all full professors in the department. The Chair of this committee is appointed by the department chair.
- The Chair of Committee A will appoint a subcommittee, the Promotion Committee, which is responsible--in conjunction with the department Chair--for annually reviewing the progress of all associate professors. If the evaluation process results in the decision to actively consider a faculty member for promotion to full professor, the faculty member will be so notified by the Chair of Committee A. The faculty member will then have the opportunity to submit relevant materials.
- Tenure and Promotion Committee B, which decides on the promotion and tenuring of assistant professors, is made up of all tenured faculty. The Chair of this committee is appointed by the department chair.
- The Chair of Committee B will appoint a subcommittee, the Tenure Subcommittee, which is responsible--in conjunction with the Chair--for annually reviewing the progress of all probationary faculty and for sending them letters notifying them of their evaluation by February 1. Members of the Tenure Subcommittee will receive copies of the letters of evaluation sent to probationary faculty. If the evaluation process results in a decision to actively consider a probationary faculty member for tenure and promotion in the following year, the faculty member will be so notified by the Chair of Committee B. Following this notification, the chair of the department, along with the Chair of Committee B, will meet with the candidate to review the tenure process and the materials required, and to assure that the candidate has, for instance, had adequate peer evaluation, has retained appropriate records, and understands the process fully. If necessary, the department chair and chair of Committee B will advise the candidate in the choice of an advocate and facilitate that relationship.
- The department chair serves ex officio on both Tenure and Promotion Committee A and Tenure and Promotion Committee B.
Procedures
- The candidate, with the assistance of his or her advocate and the department Chair, is responsible for preparing the tenure and/or promotion case for consideration by the appropriate committee.
- After presentation of the candidate's case to the appropriate committee by the candidate's advocate, the committee will vote on the nomination by secret ballot.
- For a nomination to be passed forward to the College of Arts and Sciences, the candidate must receive a positive vote from 2/3 of the committee members. If a candidate does not receive the minimum number of votes on the first ballot, up to two more votes may be taken.
- After the appropriate departmental Promotion and Tenure Committee votes, the chairperson of the Committee will provide the faculty member with a written statement of its decision and the reasons for it. The statement will also be submitted to the department chairperson, who in the event of a positive recommendation from the Committee will forward that statement to the Dean, along with his/her own positive or negative recommendation.
Criteria
- Teaching
Candidates for tenure and promotion need to demonstrate their effectiveness in teaching and facilitating student learning. Faculty members are expected to contribute to the entire mission of the department, but are especially encouraged to develop a coherent body of courses in their area of specialization that contribute to students' completion of majors, general education requirements, and degrees. Their teaching effectiveness and student success may be demonstrated through, among other things, student evaluations, peer evaluations, course materials, samples of student products, teaching awards, and student placement. - Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity
Scholarly and creative work including books, journal articles, works of literature, electronic scholarly or creative publications, bibliographical projects, papers delivered or works read at professional meetings, workshops requiring scholarly preparation, grants and other awards, and editorships all demonstrate scholarly and creative productivity. For tenure and promotion to the rank of Associate Professor, a record of high-quality performance, including but not limited to the production of published texts, is required. This work must also demonstrate the candidate's capacity and potential for continued productivity. Promotion to the rank of Full Professor requires a mature body of high quality work that is recognized in appropriate scholarly and creative communities and that indicates growth and development beyond that work presented for tenure. - Service and Contribution to Governance
Faculty members are expected to participate in department governance, and where possible and appropriate, to serve the college and university also. A broader range of service is also recognized, including service to extramural groups, academic or otherwise, and the offering of professional skills or expertise to the national and local communities.